The Less is More Thread

[Drastic]

Congrats LM! Milkshakes all around!...errr...

I've put a couple pounds back on, but now focused on overall physical shape than weight since I hit my target. I can now hit 15-20 motocross laps vs. 3-5, for example.

[littleman]

The feedback loop here really does help -- it gives an extra little kick where I'd me more likely to slip up or get lazy.

[Drastic]

Is this your lightest ever as an adult?

Do you feel any differently, with energy, sleep, mental, or otherwise?

[littleman]

I think the last time I was this light I was still in high school.  I actually never tried to lose weight before I started on this path a few years ago.  I just gradually kept gaining at a rate of 5-10 lbs a year until I started having liver issues.

I definitely feel different.  Moving is easier, my abdomen, and feet use to hurt, oddly enough I think I caused my arches to drop from the heavy pounding my feet use to take.  It's weird, but I am a lot more in touch with my body as a physical thing now -- I am much more aware of the space I occupy.  I feel where my bones are, my hip bone for instance, when I had all that padding I forgot it was there.  About 40 pounds ago I felt it and I was like "wow, what is that?!"

Energy and mental acuteness are mixed, I wouldn't say I have more now.  I use to drink a sh## load of coffee with cream and sugar and that made it possible to go day after day with as little as four hours of sleep.  Since I cut out daily caffeine and restricted my diet I sleep like a normal person

Here are some oddities...

• I've shrunk.  I think I've lost a quarter of an inch in height.  I've must have had some padding on the bottom of my feet and top of my head.
• I am overdue for my second resizing on my wedding band, the ring is falling off my finger again.
• I am cold a lot, all that padding really helped keep me warm before.
• I think about food all the time, way more than when I was fat.
• High school friends seem to think I look the same, newer friends keep telling me how different I look.
• I *do not* have a lot of loose skin, I think it is because the weight loss has been so gradual -- this was something I was worried about, being in my forties.

[Drastic]

Wow, that is pretty awesome.

I have some similarities. I am much more agile with sports, especially volleyball. My body responds to move and jump or go where I want it to much more accurately, and I'm jumping higher.

Too funny about being cold though, I'm used to never, ever being cold indoors. Just the other day I was thinking about bumping the thermostat up from 68. Before if the ambient temp was probably 62-64 I was fine. My wife is happy to welcome me to her world.

Coffee I am really struggling with. I cut it out for a while, and with the rest of the diet change and supplements I've slept better than ever. I didn't need it to wake up any more, but on those slow days recently when I needed a boost, I got it from coffee. Now, I'm wanting it every day, but when I have one I don't sleep as well. But man, a good hand pressed double espresso based drink and I can get anything done.

Interesting about thinking about food, I'm luckily not dealing with that. But then again, I eat as much as I want, just not the same foods. I find myself craving healthy stuff now too, except for the occasional burger and fries binge.

Congrats again though, it's well-deserved.

[littleman]

I should probably explain the 'thinking about food' thing, because how I wrote it is a little misleading.  I am not constantly craving food that is off my diet.  I do get cravings sometimes, and I'll make provisions for them, like I'll have a meal or two a month where I'll eat something I really like but has terrible macros, like pizza or Thai or Indian food.  Or, I'll have a small amount of dark chocolate at night instead of a traditional dessert.

What I mean is I think about what I should eat a lot in advance.  I pre-plan my meals and snacks.  I do a calculation in my head "will this work with what I've eaten already today?"

I love coffee btw, I've come to like decaf and drink it daily.  Getting off of daily caffeine was one of the hardest things I've ever done.  My head hurt for two weeks and I was absolutely  miserable to be around.

[Rumbas]

Woot, just got below 100 kg. 99,8 in fact.

Can't remember when I was under 100 the last time. Many many years ago. Going for 95 and maybe 90 within a year, but I'd like to put on some muscle in the process so it's slow and steady.

Anyone else close to their goals? Anyone have any goals?

[littleman]

Congrats Rumbas, that's quite an accomplishment.  Slow and steady while you are training is really the way to go.  I've seen so many people crash diet only  to regain everything back a year later.  Keep at it!

What was your heaviest?

I don't really have a goal weight anymore, I just want to get rid of the remaining squishy bits in the middle.  I figure that's about another 10-15 lbs though.

[Rumbas]

Thanks LM. I've really begun to enjoy the training and find myself reading and watching a lot more training centric stuff. Eating properly has been a huge help.

I was at around 115 kg/ 255 lbs about 2 years ago.